BR area gains 12,700 jobs over 12 months

Boost expanded nonfarm job total to 396,000

The Baton Rouge metropolitan area gained more nonfarm jobs — 12,700 — in the 12 months that ended June 30 than any of Louisiana’s other seven metro areas.

Those numbers, reported by the Louisiana Workforce Commission on Friday, were not yet seasonally adjusted, but showed the Baton Rouge area increased its employment by 3.3 percent in the year since June 2013. That expanded the nine-parish area’s total nonfarm employment to 396,000.

“This preliminary data appears to be consistent with overall reports of the current excellent economic conditions — not just in the Baton Rouge area, but across all of south Louisiana,” said Michael DiResto, of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.

Employment in the New Orleans metro area was up 1.5 percent in June, a boost that expanded the area’s job total to 552,000.

“Southeastern Louisiana appears to be entering a phase of growth unseen for decades,” said Michael Hecht, president and chief executive officer for Greater New Orleans Inc.

Hecht said the region’s economy is “underpinned by both oil and natural gas, supported by trade and advanced manufacturing, and augmented further by technology and other new industries, like water management.”

Added Hecht: “Greater New Orleans has an exceptional opportunity for diversified job creation in the coming years. It is now our responsibility to make investments in training and infrastructure to maximize this economic opportunity.”

Nonfarm employment in the Lafayette area increased 1.8 percent over the 12 months, and that uptick hiked the area’s job total to 163,100 by the end of June.

Jason El Koubi, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, said Friday’s numbers demonstrate that region’s continued advancements.

“These latest job growth figures reflect our strong economic momentum in the Lafayette area,” El Koubi said. “The overall numbers are even more impressive when you consider that these data show our region’s private sector grew by 3,400 jobs over the past year, with government employment declining by about 500 jobs.”